When to Make Telephone Interviews

A number of authors writing in the area of research methods have indicated the growing importance of telephone surveys 1, 3. The increased number of households having a telephone and deeper penetration into rural and low-income areas have greatly improved the statistical efficiency of random samples drawn from the telephone directory. Also, the range of subject matter and length of the telephone interview are not as limited as generally believed 4. In addition, evidence indicates that a respondent is more likely to be candid when the interview situation is impersonal 2, and the telephone does allow a significant degree of anonymity. When comparing the cost per return among mail, personal, and telephone surveys, the latter is considered far cheaper than personal interviews and often less costly than mail surveys 6. In conducting telephone surveys, the time of day and day of week most likely to yield completed first calls must be identified in order to avoid time-consuming and costly callbacks 5. This study was undertaken to determine the most fruitful days of the week and time of day to complete telephone interviews with housewives or female heads of households.